


Sunshine on Devil's Backbone

by weapon13WhiteFang



Category: The Walking Dead (Comics), The Walking Dead (TV), The Walking Dead (Video Games), The Walking Dead - All Media Types
Genre: Age Difference, Alternate Universe, Blindfolds, Canon Related, Explicit Language, F/M, Light Bondage, Racism, Rape/Non-con Elements, Secret Relationship, Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-02-28
Updated: 2015-06-22
Packaged: 2018-03-15 15:08:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 16,398
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3451676
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/weapon13WhiteFang/pseuds/weapon13WhiteFang
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A 400 Word-Prompt Challenge featuring Merle Dixon and Beth Greene only. Will range from pairing, to anti-pairing, to friendship, and to enemies or whatever my brain can crank out with these word prompts. I will be attempting to use every single word on the list so that means lots of chapters.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Watch

**01\. Watch**

“Rick's sick,” she says simply, staring back at him with her Bambi-like eyes and chewing on her lower lip, worrying it to the point he wonders if she's going to break the skin.

There aren't any clocks around anymore. Time goes of its own accord now – as it always has, really – so he has no official way of seeing what the time is. But he knows – with the sun as high up as it is – that it's somewhere around noon and he knows Officer Friendly is supposed to take watch with him for the rest of his shift.

So when he doesn't hear the tell-tale of the law-man's stride but instead the soft patter of boots on the metal stairs, he is surprised. Because at first he's expecting Bo-Peep or Mouse with how light the steps are. No way was he expecting Goldilocks to step through the stairway door with her knife to one hip and a 9 millimeter tucked to the other, her hair up in its usual ponytail and looking like a deer caught in headlights as she stares at him.

Merle looks her over lazily. “So they send ya instead?” he drawls, a little surprised. No way would Bo-Peep or the Chinaman or Officer Friendly or even her daddy be okay with sending the girl up here with him. They'd have sent his brother or the Kid to take his place.

“Nobody else can cover for him. They all need rest so I volunteered,” she said, as if sensing what he was thinking, shifting awkwardly as she shut the stairway door and gave him her own look-over. He was a little stunned to note that while she seemed uncertain, she didn't look disgusted or scared.

“That right?” he mused, a wolfish grin on his face. “Ya come ta keep ol' Merle company?”

“I've come to help protect my family,” she said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear and shying under his gaze but not backing up as she came to stand by him at the rail, turning away to look out at the walkers.

He cocked a brow at her brushing him off, but his grin never left his face. Girl was trying to play like some adult, fine. He'd let her. Not like he gave a shit. He'd knock her down a peg if he needed to. Already had to put Officer Friendly's boy in his place a few weeks back when the kid was throwing him lip. Little shit.

Chuckling under his breath, Merle leaned on his forearms and kept his sniper rifle up. Although he hadn't had much need for the damn thing since The Governor had been taken out by him and the Nubian Queen (which was the only reason he was being allowed to stay at the damn prison with his brother), he often would enjoy snipping a few of the roamers down from time to time to keep his skills up.

Cracking his jaw, Merle glanced out the corner of his eye as he felt Girlie was doing the same. In fact – just as he looked over – he caught her eying his brace and the sniper rifle beside it before she jerked away and would sneak a peek again.

“Somethin on yer mind, Goldilocks?” he drawled, voice gruff and fighting down the growing agitation bubbling inside him from the way her eyes had traveled to his brace.

Her eyes went wide and she gave a sharp intake at having been caught. But Merle would have to give her some prop. He expected her to get defensive or drawl back from the tone he was throwing at her. Instead she looked uncertain and cast glances to meet his gaze before looking down and once again worrying that lip of hers. 

“Is it hard... To shoot that, I mean?” she asked after a few beats of silence, causing him to blink and look down at the sniper then at her.... What?

He straightened his slouch and furrowed his brow, giving her a look. She flushed under his gaze and he noted how it gave her skin a nice heated glow before he took in a look of embarrassment and shame. Now a part of him was ready to tease the girl on her embarrassment, and Hell he was ready to...But another part of him realized that girl was asking him a question without any sign of mockery, reluctance, or annoyance.... She was asking in seriousness for his answer.

“Ain't so bad,” he said after a slow beat. “Got a bit of a kick if ya aint ready for it... Never shot one, have ya?”

She shook her head and shrugged her shoulders. “I've never really been taught how to shoot... Shane... Back on the farm, we were given lessons... I know how to use my 9 millimeter... Guess they just felt it wasn't something I needed to know since I'm always taking care of Judy...”

Her voice trailed off and Merle scowled. The little “family” his brother had made for himself sure was stupid. Not teaching the girl how to handle weapons was dangerous if they were gonna trust her with the little squawker. Hell if anything, she shoulda been one of the first ones to learn how to take down a roamer.

Merle looked down at the gun before hefting it up. “C'mere,” he grunted after a beat, motioning the girl his way. He tried not to get impatient as her eyes got wide and she actually stepped back. “Ya wanna learn how ta use this thing or not? Get ya ass over here, Girlie!” he grit out after she still didn't move.

When she did finally move, she was careful and slow but she eventually stood behind the propped up gun and he helped her position it right and kept a firm hand on her back, lowering himself so he was looking out the scope with her and able to give her an order.

“Find yer target and line up. Best advice I can give ya, girlie, is if the target is moving, ya wanna try to be a step ahead of the movement so the bullet flies before and meets at their movement. Got it?” he grumbled close to her ear, his nose taking in the clean soap scent mixed with young female that had him shifting himself to fight down the blood going south at the scent.

“Ya got one?” he asks and she shifts a little before nodding and he nods as well, stepping back to watch. “Then let it go, Girlie.”

And she did... Straight into the middle of the head of a roamer that had to be about seventy feet away from them near the treeline and had been ambling towards the gate where the others had gathered, causing Merle to blink and his brows to shoot up to his hairline... Holy shit.

“I got it!” she breathed out happily, lifting her head from the scope to look at him, face a complete mask of glee and surprise; exactly what he was feeling right now as he looked out towards the walker she took down before looking back at her.

“Huh... Ya did... Alright, Girlie, lets give ya something harder,” he tried, coming back to get behind her and guide her towards the walkers he wanted her to try for.

He continued this for awhile, testing her and guiding her to try and go further out. Each time he was pleased and surprised to see her make a hit. It wasn't always a center head shot like the first one, but she was hitting them in the head and that was impressive enough. She made each shot until they hit the half a mile mark at a little over four hundred yards, but even then it was impressive she got that far.... Girl had a real sharp eye.

Merle – at this point – was practically pressed into Girlie's back by the time she missed her first walker, explaining to her how the gun worked and telling her how to work with it. And it was during this time he realized she was pressing back against him for support from the kick of the gun. If he hadn't propped the gun on the railing he was certain she'd be sore by now from holding the gun.

Merle was briefly aware that he was surprised how well she seemed to fit against him before he stiffened as she wiggled a little. She rotated her shoulder and was trying to rub her neck, her body shifting around and against him that he felt it before she did and froze.

He waited for her to panic. He waited for her to try and jerk away from him (although there was no room for her to go). He waited... And when it wasn't coming, he looked down and found her looking up at him, her eyes wide and pupils dilated from the adrenaline high one gets from excitement and her cheeks were flushed and had to gruffly step back because right then he wanted to bend her of and teach her how a Dixon used his tool.

“Ya did good, Goldilocks,” he grit out after a beat, taking the gun from her and sitting it against the wall, dropping into a chair they'd brought up for the watchers and gripping his knee with his one good hand to keep from grabbing at the girl who looked like such a woman right now it was hard to not want to grab her hair and bring her over to him. Not when he'd just watched her shoot like a pro and look at him like she had.

She nodded dazed like, her eyes slowly showing more green and blue than the black of her pupils and her teeth worrying her lip once again. Merle didn't turn away as she met his eyes. Expression blank. He was a man and he'd reacted just how any man would with a hot piece rubbing against him... He just waited for her to freak out and run off to tell the others.

“Thank-you... for letting me try,” she said softly after a long beat of silence.

Merle's expression remained blank as he nodded, his grip on his knee slacking just a little as she didn't turn and tuck tail away. He kept waiting for it, though. The rest of their watch was silent and watching the fence, a good bit of space between them.

When it was time for the Ninja and his brother to take over watch, Merle expected her to then crack and say something to either of them. Instead she'd smiled a soft little smile at them and had assured the Ninja and his own brother that he'd behaved and she'd enjoyed herself.

He stalked after her as they walked back to the prison, watching the way her ponytail swished back and forth and noting that she had impressive long legs showing off in the shorts she had on... That also showed off her nice ass and he growled in agitation as he recalled how firm it had felt pressed against him.

“Merle?”

He was jerked from his annoyance and narrowed his eyes as Girlie – Beth. He was pretty sure her name was Beth, now that he tried to actually remember it for some damn reason – turned and looked back at him on her way up the stairs to her room.

“Could... Would you... I want to learn more... I want to... I want to help more around here and... I learned a lot today. Will you teach me more?” she asked softly, seeming to wait for him to automatically say no, her eyes meeting his as she tried to look brave and firm.

Merle stared up at her, having to crane his neck to see her face from where he stood at the bottom of the stairs, with a swirling mixture of disbelief and a feeling of relief and pride he wasn't sure of. He'd practically bar grinded the girl and here she was acting like nothing happened and wanting him to teach her? 

“Liked hangin around ol' Merle, did ya?” he found himself asking, hand on his hip and swaying his brace back and fourth and watching her with a smirk he couldn't help but add in.

He was almost floored when she smiled at him. “It wasn't terrible... So yeah, I did,” she said softly and he found his grin falling a little and just staring at her.

“I'll think about it,” he grumbled, looking away from her as her smile widened and she nodded before turning and heading up the stairs for her room. 

And Merle wasn't sure how long he stood there before he grunted and shook his head, making for his own cell. He had a headache and a hard-on to handle before he did anything else for the day.


	2. Blood

**02\. Blood**

“You have to hold still.”

Merle grit his teeth as her tiny hands fluttered over his chest. He tried not to shove her back. He hated being touched like this. He wasn't a touch fan and the girl practically had her hands all over him.

“Stop growling at me, Mr. Dixon. I need to get this cleaned. You don't want an infection,” she sighed, her brows knitted as she continued to clean the large gash he'd gotten across his left pectoral where – while on a run – he'd gotten it cut while escaping roamers through a broken window. A large, thick piece of broken metal on the window had caught him damn good and had almost caused more roamers to catch them. 

If it hadn't been for Girlie – who'd been allowed to go on this run with him and the Chinaman – he'd have been swarmed completely. She'd been the one to ram through the fuckers with the truck and keep them back with Chinaman's help until he could jump into the bed of the truck and they could peel out and head back for the prison.

Merle growled in agitation. He was real mad at himself right now. It had been a fucking dumb ass move that had put his ass on the line and could've cost Girlie. Chinaman was tough shit and a slippery bastard that could duck around and escape pretty well. But Girlie? She was still learning. He knew she was damn tough but that had been a damn big swarm of rotters. He could've gotten her ass killed all for not watching his own ass.

“There,” Girlie hummed as she finished wrapping his pectoral where she'd cleaned out the gash and sewed him up. She'd learned well over the year or two of watching her Old Man work on others. He wouldn't be surprised if she used to help him before all this, judging by how well she handled a needle and thread and cleaned him up. “Better. Don't move it around so much or you'll pop the stitches.”

She looked up at him with those Bambi eyes and his nostrils flared before he was snatching up his black wifebeater – the other was ripped and was going to be used as bandage wraps where the blood wasn't – and dragging it on as he watched Girlie put away the cleaning ointment and throw the bloody rags into a bag to thrown away.

Merle fought the urge to wince as the material rubbed against the bandage. “Surprised Chinaman aint had yer pa comin' for my head,” Merle grunted, picking up the blade and hooking it to his brace, completing the menacing bayonet look.

Girlie went quiet and for a moment, Merle wondered if she'd even heard him. “I blackmailed him not to tell Maggie and Daddy,” she said after awhile, turning to look at him as she tucked the cleaning cleaning supplies under her arm and walked them over to the little shelf of her room, where she'd dragged him into so she could clean him up.

“Ya did what now?” he scoffed after a beat, not quiet sure he heard what he had. Blackmailed? Girlie had blackmailed the Chinese kid? 

She gave a sigh and turned to fully face him, tugging at a string at the end of her dirty brown tank-top. “If Glenn had told Maggie, she would've come after you and Daddy would have found out... You didn't deserve that. It was an accident... And well, selfish as this is, I wouldn't get to go on another run because they'd think it was too dangerous for me.. And I'm kinda tired of being cooped up.” She met his gaze with her own and gave a small little shrug.

“Don't need you lookin after me. I ain't afraid of Bo-Peep or your daddy,” Merle grumbled, his mouth turning to a scowl as she smiled at him.

“I know you're not... But you're family. And family looks out for each other,” she said, coming up to stand infront of him holding up a bottle of aspirin.

He eyed the bottle before snatching it from her. “Ya ain't my blood, Girl.”

“Blood doesn't make you family, Mr. Dixon,” she replied instantly and Merle stared at her, noting the unwavering belief she had in her words and the way the smile never left her face. “It's just something that flows inside you... Or out, in this case.” She reached up and gently touched where the bandaged was before patting his arm shyly and turning to leave as he stood there narrowing his eyes at her back until she was gone.

Merle looked down into the aspirin bottle to see two little pills waiting for him before he dry swallowed them down and sat the bottle on Girlie's desk, where she kept the so many days without an accident sign and a bunch of other knick knacks. 

Looking around the room briefly, Merle walked to her curtain and ducked his way out, looking over at where Girlie was now tending to the little squawker with Mouse. He watched the way she handled the little girl, treating it like it was her very own flesh and blood.

_“Blood doesn't make you family, Mr. Dixon.”_

Merle scoffed but felt his lip twitch a little in a smirk before he turned and made for the opposite direction to go look for his brother, feeling Girlie's eyes on his back until he was out of the cell-block.


	3. Mud

Merle Dixon was a no good sexist pig, antagonistic, jackass... And Beth Greene had had quit enough. All she'd been trying to do was help Karen and Carol with the laundry and over he comes, maing crude comments as always... And then he had the nerve to throw his dirty button up shirt at her and give her a quick “wash that up for me, huh sugar bean?” and start to saunter off with a snicker.

_THWACK!_

The prison yard was silent, still. Even the walkers along the fence seemed to pause in their moaning and scraping at the fence long enough for the world to feel like everythig was pin-pointing on this one, crazy, incident.

Beth Green was furious and though the adult part of her told her to stop and Karen and Carol tried to keep her from doing it, Beth wouldn't listen. She threw his dirty black button up down, took two steps forward towards a big mud puddle and scooped up the biggest glob she could into a ball and chucked it, using those last few years of gym class to land a hit right at the back of Merle Dixon's head.

If he was going to act like a sexist pig, then he could enjoy the mud like one!

Her breathing was heavy as Merle – frozen and shoulders hitched and body squaring, turned to look back at her. And any other time, Beth would have been cowed under his intense, beady gaze of anger that seemed to make him look bigger. But this was not one of those times. Because Beth squared her own shoulders, planted her feet and placed her hands on her hips to and give him her darkest scowl and most heated glare.

She could hear Karen and Carol trying to call out for them both to knock it off and calm down, but neither of them were having that as Merle strolled towards her like a bull charging at a red flag. His nostrils flared and he towered over her and glared down at her, wiping mud off him until he was standing before her with a mud coated left hand and a dark gleam.

“Girl... You must be some kind of stupid,” he drawled low, deep from his chest and the gravel of his voice deep and almost sounding lie the Pitbulls her daddy used to look after that had been abused; growling and sounding like a deep motor running.

“And you must be some kind of idiot if you think we're just meant to clean after you whenever you wave that stump of yours around” Beth seethed back, hissing lie a mama bobcat and her own teeth bared and claws ready to go. “You wanna act like a pig, then you can roll in the mud with them, Merle Dixon!”

Her voice had risen and now the whole yard was watching. Glenn was flailing from the watch tower next to Maggie, who looked ready to jump over the railing to get to her. Rick was watching from the garden as Carl and the kids playing soccer paused to see what was going on.

Beth should feel ashamed for acting like this in-front of the younger kids, but the truth is she could give a damn about any of it. She was so mad, so frustrated, with being treated like some child who was only meant to watch the kids and make the food and do the laundry. Merle Dixon had just been the straw to break the camels back and she wasn't about to let him talk to her like some hand maid!

Now Beth expected Merle to cuss her out or laugh in her face for “trying to act too big for her britches” (As he once said to Judith when she tried walking on her own while Daryl was watching her for Carol). He expected maybe for him to slap her (though she knew he wouldn't because she knew he didn't want to be too much like his “no good piece of shit daddy”, as he'd once mumbled when she flinched from him once). She expected a lot of things... But not for him to take that hand full of mud and toss it right back into her face, giving her a face and mouthful of mud.

She let out a startled squeal, her body jerking and hands going to her face to swipe at the mud. As soon as she could see, her face and body flushed as Merle Dixon let out a roar of laughter at her expression, his teeth bared in a mocking, ferious grin that made her blood boil.

“Beth that's enough-” Carol tried, but all Beth could hear was the blood pounding in her ears as anger rolled through her body and with rage she scooped up another mud clod and smacked it straight across Merle Dixon's face as he laughed, startling him enough for her to shove as hard as she could and topple him off balance towards the mud puddle.

To bad his reflexes were fast enough for him to grab her arm and drag her down with him!

Because down she went, straight into the wet, gross, mud puddle and having it splash all over her and coat them both. Beth grunted as she landed ontop of Merle's chest and stomach and she heard him grit out a few choices slurs.

“Goddamit, bitch, what the fuck-”

“Don't call me a bitch, you- you ass!”

Beth's head shoots up, ready to spit venom for calling her such a thing... When she finds she's nose to nose and eyes to eyes with this royal pain of a man... And his eyes are so much bluer up close and the irises are wide and he's looking at her like he wants to eat her and-

Beth's stomach knots and she feels a heat building in her lower belly that flutters through her and she fights down the urge to shiver before she smacks down on his chest to beat out the suddenly overwhelming heat that's rushing through her at the animal like gleam in his eyes.

He cusses but she doesn't hear what he says as she scrambles, wanting – needing – to get away from the man, kicking up more mud and splashing them with more of the muck. But she doesn't care as she lets out a frustrated and angry snarl and storms for the prison, knowing she'd be chewed out for tracking mud but unable to care. Even as she hears Maggie – who'd run down from the watch tower – call after her. She doesn't care. She just storms for her room to grab clothes.

She needs a shower. She needs to feel clean. And she needs it now or she'll explode.

.

The water feels good on his heated skin as it washes away the mud. He runs his stump over his scalp and shakes like a dog, grumbling darkly under his breath as once again he wishes he still had his hand. He swears he's gonna cut off Officer Friendly's in revenge someday for this bullshit.

“The fuck was that about?”

Fuck.

Merle shakes the water off his head and turns off the hose, dripping wet and wiping at his face to make sure he got all the fucking mud off him as Daryl storms towards him... Damn. He still couldn't believe the little farmers bible thumping daughter had pelted him with mud and had knocked him off balance! He'd find it funny if he wasn't pissed and his head wasn't spinning from the last minute of their encounter.

“Merle?” Daryl calls again, stopping infront of him, his crossbow over his shoulder and looking at him like he's some kind of dumbass. “The fuck did you do to Beth?”

“The fuck did I do? Girlie's the one who went all hog wild!” he growls, throwing the hose down and glaring at the younger sibling, who Merle is getting real sick of lately. Every time he and Daryl talk it's like pulling fucking teeth. If he'd get his dick out of Officer Friendly’s ass he might be less of a jackass. “She's the one who came at ol' Merle, slingin mud and shit like a damn animal or somethin'. Ain't on me, little brother!”

Daryl glares at him while shifting in his spot, his brow furrowing with confusion as well. It's obvious he's as floored by the young blonde's actions as he is. So he'd asked her to clean his shirt, big whoop. Didn't mean she had to go and try and mud wrestle him like some kinda feral bitch in heat.

“Look just back off. Girls got enough shit while dealing with raisin Li'l Asskicker and everyone walkin around her like she's some damn doll. Don't need you fuckin shit up more,” Daryl grunts after a beat and Merle raises a brow in curiosity.

“That girl ain't no doll. More like a damn bear-cat hidin under Bambi's skin lookin all innocent and shit. Girls got a mean fire,” Merle grunted back, popping his neck and making his way around Daryl.

“Wasn't always like that. Back on the farm... Shit went down,” Daryl grumbled and Merle paused to look at him, hand on his hip and waiting for his brother to elaborate some more. He hated when his brother tried talkin in riddles and shit.

Daryl shook his head, his lips pursing and hefting the crossbow up as he stepped around him and made for Girlie's sister, who was charging their way. Merle watched as Bo-Peep threw her hands in the air and pointed his way. To rile her up he grinned and gave a salute, cackling as she tried to storm around Darylina as Chinaman came to her side to help keep her back.

Smirking, Merle headed inside, ducking through the entrance and making his way to his room to change shirts. Unlike Daryl who seemed to enjoy being covered in dirt, Merle wasn't a fan of that shit and he had watch tonight. He'd strip and catch himself a nap before his shift with the big black fucker, Tyreese.

“You see her?”

“Hell yeah I saw her! She looked ready to take someones head off. Would be hot if I wasn't worried about her ripping my dick off.”

Merle paused, on the catwalk to his room, glancing down to see Boy Band – Zack or something – and one of the Woodbury punks – Lucas or some shit like that – nudging each other and grinning, looking towards the doorway to the showers as they sat at one of the dining tables with a pack of cards.

“Can't believe she tackled Dixon!” Boy Band laughed.

“I can. Guys a dick,” Lucas huffed, and Merle sneered down, thinking of spitting on the little shit if he kept running his mouth.

“Still, man... That's pretty brave,” Boy Band mused while Lucas scoffed.

“Bet that's the most action that assholes gotten in year-Sunuvabitch!” Lucas roared as Merle took his still wet shirt and wrung it out, dirty water dripping down and soaking the top of the younger males head, who paled as he looked up and made eye contact with him.

“Fuck, man,” Boy Band hissed, tugging Lucas's arm as both bolted, running off and out of reach as Merle glared daggers down at them, baring his teeth in anger.

“Little bastards,” Merle grumbled darkly, spitting a giant wad of saliva out the side of his mouth before making for his room – which was tucked in a corner of the second floor cat walk with two spare rooms beside him to give him space and privacy like he wanted – yanking his black privacy blanket into place over the bars, offering him some solitary as he kicked off his boots and peeled his wet tank-top off his person.

Grabbing a towel, he dried his still wet flesh and hair, glancing at the broken mirror in the cell as he thought about what had just went down, his mind wandering back to Girlie landing ontop of him. He hadn't meant to drag her ontop of him. In fact he'd tried to drag her down into the mud beside him. But her little body was weightless almost and he'd tugged her wrong as he fell and down ontop of him she went.

He threw the towel into a chair and dropped himself down on the mattress of his bed, glad to have taken the top off to shove the two beds together in the far corner so he could stretch out more and not be reminded of the last time he'd had to sleep in a prison.

Throwing himself on his back, Merle threw his good hand up and cradled his head, his knuckles pressed into the ratty pillow of his cell as he frowned, fighting the fact that the more he thought about Girlie ontop of him the more he thought of how enticing those fired up Bambi eyes had looked and how well she fit as she was sprawled ontop of him. How he'd been able to see her nipples pebbled through her own tank-top, feeling that she wasn't wearing a bra and feeling how soft she felt against him.

“Fuck,” Merle grit out, feeling himself growing hard, dragging his hand out from under him to run it down his face, unable to close his eyes without seeing those firey blue-greene eyes staring at him, knowing she had to of seen that – in that moment – he was a bit aroused as much as he was angry at the girl.

“Fuck!” he hissed loudly, gritting his teeth as he felt rock hard in his jeans. Banging his head back against his pillow, Merle mashed his teeth loudly as he undid the buckle of his fatigue pants and removed his hardened cock from his jeans, stroking himself to the memory of Girlie's soft skin and firey bambi eyes.

If he wasn't going to hell for his past deeds he sure as Hell was now.

.

Beth panted, the fingers of her left hand digging into the concrete wall, biting her lower lip to fight down the whimper that threatened to fall from her mouth. Her right hand worked between her legs, spread wide as the lukewarm, almost cold, water pelted down on her.

The showers – for once – were empty, as most people took their showers in the morning or late at night. With the sun being just past the afternoon point, she was left alone. And alone with her thoughts and anger, Beth reacted in a way that she normally would be mortified to try.

She needed release and she needed it badly. Because the damn image of Merle Dixon looking at her like she was a woman he wanted to eat – not in the way a walker eats a person either – was making her skin hot, her lower belly burn, and her nipples harden.

Her fingers worked inside her, shaking as she coaxed herself. She didn't do this often, so at first it felt awkward and stupid... But the more she thought about stupid, jackass, Merle Dixon and those dialated blue eyes of his and how firm he'd felt under her, the hotter she got and the wetter she seemed to get. It became easier to coax and explore herself, working herself towards the edge.

A part of her felt dirty; as dirty as the mud she'd scrubbed from her skin. Merle Dixon? Daryl she'd understand. In fact Daryl had been one of her fantasies back when they'd only just lost the farm and was curled up in a barn and just needing something and he'd been patrolling and she'd shyly worked herself over while watching him patrol. Daryl she understood because Daryl – while wild and sometimes rude – was at least somewhat civil and kind and showed some humanity.

Merle Dixon? Merle Dixon was loud, crude, sexist, brash, vulgar, and just all around not the type of guy she should be thinking about. Not the kind of guy who she's imagining pressing her into the wall of the shower and having his rough way with her as he growls dirty, face burning things into her ear. Merle Dixon is not the kind of guy who should make her feel hot and wet and make her shudder as she recalls how firm and hard and manly he felt. Merle Dixon was not the kind of guy whose smell she could recall – dirty but with a manly, earthly musk that made her nipples harden and ache – and thin about as she drove herself to an orgasm.

No Merle Dixon was not the kind of guy she should be thinking about as she was getting off... But he was. And she was driving herself home to an intense, pleasurable feeling of ecstacy that had her leaning against the wall for support and sliding down it, legs spread and water pelting her as her fingers twirled and roughly teased the hood of her sensative bundle of nerves.

“Oh!” Beth gasped, head rolling back and hips thrusting as she felt that peak closing in. She was so close! She was on the edge and waiting to drop. She just needed that push, that drive. She needed- Needed-

_”Ya gonna cum for me, sugar bean?”_

She looses it. She biting down on her arm to keep from screaming as she falls over the edge, imagining his gruff and gravely voice in her ear, coaxing her with vulgar, dirty words. Her body thrums and blood pounds in her ears as she gasps and bucks and withers on the concrete floor of the showers, heaving for breath and shuddering.

By the time she comes down from her euphoria and finishes her shower, the waters like ice and cools her heated skin but isn't able to wash the shame away or the way her cheeks flush once she's dressed and quickly making for her room, ignoring everyone’s stares as she knows they all know about her fight by now.

She pretends to be asleep when Maggie or her daddy come by and even when Carol tries to check in on her. Beth just wants to be alone right now, clear her thoughts. Because God knows something must be wrong with her mind after what she just did!

She throws herself onto her bed and rubs at her eyes with the palm of her hand. She was starting to miss the moments when Walkers were her biggest problem.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah this one kinda pitters off a bit but hey it was still fun to write.


	4. Bleed For You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Really more of an excerpt of an idea I had where Merle is a detective who came to Woodbury to visit his brother with his partner Ceasar Martinez and both discover the secret that Woodbury is infested with Vampires and Werewolves… I don’t even know lol

I bleed to feed   
Why don't you make it to me?   
Have mercy, have mercy, have mercy on me 

I bleed to feed, I bleed to feed   
Why don't you make it through me?   
Have mercy, have mercy, have mercy on me   
I'll set you free  
 _Bleed 2 Feed_ , C.C. Adock and The Lafayette Marquis

.

“Fuck…”

Merle Dixon had been in heavy situations before. He’d been in worse situations before this as well… curse right now he couldn’t think of any. Isn’t that how it went, though? Try to think of something that’s better or wore than a moment you’re living in and nothing comes but when you don’t wanna think about it, it comes a knockin’.

Merle held his side just at the first rib of his ribcage, gritting his teeth and snarling everytime he tried to move, dragging his useless and busted up leg across the ground, his right hand gripping his left side as his left hand was used to help drag him across the cold concrete of the basement of the old house.

Dammit he’d been stupid! He should have called Martinez, shouldn’t have worked himself up to chase down these bastards… Whoever they were. Bastards with such insane speed and strength and he’d shot one of them and then… Well Merle wasn’t sure but they – it? – had made a god awful hissing screech of noise – like a banshee wailing in the night of old folk tales or something – before they/it bolted off.

Merle sucked in a deep breath and let out a loud cry of pain as he hefted himself up as best he could and pressed his back to the cool brick wall. The house he was in had to be over a hundred years old and he’d been stupid in just rushing in. The stairs had given out and that had fucked up his leg – probably broke something, dammit – and whatever those guys – thing – were carrying had been sharp because they’d stabbed up his side and he was certain he was going to bleed out.

“Well, shit… Ya done it now, Dixon,” he coughed aloud to the musky basement darkness. “look at ya? Bleedin ta death in some shitty old hole… Fuck… Darylina will probably bitch yer corpse to death twice over for goin out like this…”

He laughed absently, coughing and gritting his teeth as he tilted his head back to the concrete, breathing heavily and blinking his eyes. He needed to stay awake! He couldn’t allow himself to pass out… Or it could be the end! He wouldn’t fuckin die like this!

“That smells painful.”

Merle’s eyes shot open and he cried out in pain as he jolted – startled – forward, irritating the wound and sending lightning sharp pain through his body and nerves. His head lolled forward as he tried to catch his breath, panting and sweating as he blinked wildly and tried to look around.

“Show yerself!” he barked, his voice gruff and hoarse like sandpaper on a gravel, cursing the fact he’d lost his gun during his crawl to the wall.

And for awhile, Merle was certain he was going nuts. Because he’d heard nothing, saw nothing before him or around him. His breathing leveled out once again and he darted his head and eyes around. Fuck he was going nuts now! The blood loss must be messing with him more than he thought-

Merle’s thoughts were abruptly halted as – like a shadow coming to the light – a figure stepped forward, bleeding out from the ink black like darkness of the basement. Merle felt his mouth go dry and his eyes widen.

It was a girl – or a young woman really – stepping towards him with such grace it took his breath away. She was a small thing – probably barely brushed under his chin if he could stand – with smooth, porcelain pale skin, long blonde hair up in a ponytail and swirled about her face, and eyes that reminded him of a piece of Grandidierite he’d once seen as a kid; eyes that seemed to glow in the dark as she stopped a foot from him.

Merle felt his voice leave him and his body stiffen as she followed the trail of his blood to the wound at his side before her eyes locked with his and the air came rushing back to his lungs, helping him find his voice.

“Who the hell are-“

“Shhh,” she shushed softly, her voice sounding like wind chimes tinkling in a soft breeze. “I’m not going to hurt you… Let me help you out… I’m Beth… What’s your name?”

Merle’s mouth dried and tried to swallow as she gracefully – inhumane like almost – stepped into his space and fell to his side. He hissed as her fingers – cold and soft as they grazed his flesh that was exposed from the gash in his shirt – graced over his wound.

Merle’s eyes stayed on her face and he felt what blood he had left in his body almost go cold as he swore he saw a look of hunger flash across those impossibly blue-green eyes as she lightly skirted around his wound, fingers becoming sticky with his blood.

“Wha-“ he tried to speak, tried to tell her to back off, tried to say something! But words were faltering as she met his gaze once again and flashed him a very perly white smile… That revealed a set of strong, pointed canines that were like a cats… Or a –

“Yer one of them?” he croaked, his voice being forced from him.

“You smell good… But I’m not going to hurt you… you smell like Daryl… You must be his brother Merle, right?” Beth whispered, smiling softly at him, not a hint of a monster lurking under her soft gaze or concerned hands.

“Ya know… Daryl?” he tried, suddenly feeling heavy and strange. Was this her doing? Was this… this creature – Vampire! A fucking vampire…Fuck he owed Darylina and Mouse an apology for laughing at them for warning him of such… Fuck! – Moved her hands soothingly over him, numbing and relaxing his body.

“Mmhmm… I met him when he first moved here,” Beth said calmly, keeping her eyes on him as he felt his own starting to droop.

“That was… Twenty-years ago… Ya don’t look older… Than eighteen,” he rasped out, fighting the sleep taking over. What the hell was she doing to him?!

She laughed. “You’re off by a hundred years… but close enough. Flattering really.”

A hundred… A hundred and eighteen? Merle opened his mouth to spout in disbelief – no way was she that old, right? – But suddenly, like hands, he was dragged into darkness; the last thing he could see is impossibly blue-green eyes glowing in the dark before the world of the unconscious took him down.

**R & R Plz**


	5. Used

Merle Dixon knows what it's like to be used.

He's been used for a lot of things. He's been used - payed, even - to beat up someone for some rich snot who didn't have the balls and strength to do it himself. He's been used as a shield for his brother - though that was voluntary on his part, really - against his old man's attacks. He's been used as an excuse for punks when they tell their pissed off parents where they picked up smoking or drinking from when they're caught.

Merle Dixon knows what it's like to be used... But he ain't ever been one to be used as a space maker between a very fine looking blonde with legs, too small (though firm) tits, and big doe eyes and some fuck whose nuts probably aint even dropped and whose drunk off his ass looking for her while they're both shoved inside a small bathroom he'd just got done taking a piss in.

"Please." She whispers pleadengly as she holds up her delicate finger to her mouth in a shushing manner when he goes to ask her what the fuck she's doing.

His mouth snap shut and he raises a brow and peeks around her to see the jackass stumbling around the hallway of the upstairs of Ceasar's house as the party continues downstairs. And Merle can hear the bastard grumbling and bellowing over the loud rock music downstairs.

"BETH! COME ON! WHERE- COME ON!"

The girl - he's guessing she's named Beth from the way the fucker keeps screaming her damn name - bites her lip and looks exasperated, annoyed, and a hint of uncomfortable and scared as she pries the old bathroom door shut and tries to lock it, back pressing against his chest as she backs up away from the door.

"Girl I doubt yer gonna get him to back off by hidin in here. He's ten sheets to the wind and got his head up his ass lookin for ya, I bet." Merle speaks up, making her jump a little before she's looking up at him, tilting her head up to meet his gaze.

From this angle he gets a nice little view of her creamy, long neck and those small but firm tits of hers that are being held in that little yellow sunflower dress she's sporting with cowgirl boots and a necklace with looping hearts, her cheeks red from the alcohol he can smell on her warm breath. It aint a bad view from where he's standing.

"What should I do-"

"BETH!"

She squeaks and backs up closer until her ass is pressed against his crotch - sporting a semi-hard on from the little show she's giving him and the fact this bitch downstairs got him all kinds of ready - and she stiffens just a second before taking a sharp intake of breath as the door handle jiggles.

"Beth, right?" He asks, starting to get annoyed as the bastard keeps yanking on the fucking door and bellowing outside.

She nods and he grunts before - like picking up a damn pillow weighing nothing - he scoops her up and turns her around to press her up against a wall, her legs instinctivly wrapping around his waist and dress riding up to expose more of her creamy white skin.

"What are you-!"

"Ya want the fucker gone, right? Gotta play him off." Merle hisses back, giving her a glare.

It takes her a second to kind of figure out what he means before her face gets redder and she gives a tiny nod. He grunts before leaning forward to burry his face in her shoulder and take in her scent, which smelled like fucking candy and cake and all kinds of sweetness, before his mouth latched around her neck and he's nibbling and sucking at her throat and making her gasp and her nails dig into his back in shock.

He admits he gets a little harder at that sound and can't help but smirk at the way she squeaks and squirms as he's working at her flesh and grinding against her while his hand clumsly unlocks the door.

"BETH! What the- Whoa, shit!"

Merle easily backs off her and keeps her held as he turns on the Dixon glare - perfected by every Dixon male to be intimidating and menacing as all hell - and keeps Beth covered and shielded with his body as he snarls at the guy.

"Ya fuckin mind, asshole, or what?"

The guy sputters drunkenly at him and tries to say something to Beth, but Merle is lowering her and easily shoving the guy back out the door and towards the stairs. Using his best and most dangerous tone, he growls down at the younger male.

"Ya best be steppin', shit head, or I'm bouncing ya down every damn one of these stairs for buggin my girl, ya hear?"

That's all it takes for the asshole to get it. Kid's all bark and o bite. A punk who plays like a puffed up peacock that just needs the wind pressed out of it and the feathers plucked before he's backing off and surrendering, stumbling away and down the stairs.

And once he's gone, Merle looks over his shoulder to see Beth still pressed up against the wall, face still a cherry red, and eyes dialated and mouth parted in shock. And he can't help but sweep her over and see how disheveled his little stunt has her.

Did he really have to pick her up and man handle her to get a point out to the asshole stalking after her? Nah, not really. In fact he could've scared the punk off easily by just yanking the door open and doing the same routine... But he had to have some fun. And riling people up on both sides of an arguement was his favorite thing to do.

Plus the girl had interrupted his alone time to drag some bullshit his way, so he'd call them even.

"Thank-you." She breaths after awhile, straightening and stumbling a little as she tries to right herself.

Merle just shrugs and feels a hitch of dissapointment that her legs are no longer on display and that he doesn't have more of her scent to take in. Girl smelled damn good and she even tasted good on his tongue. Got him all stiff and uncomfortable in his jeans. And all they'd done is nuzzle around.

"Beth Greene." She says once she's straightened herself out.

And Merle has to laugh. He practically dry humps and manhandles the girl and scares off her predator and she just now decides to introduce herself to him with a small little smile and a holding out her hand and shit?

"Merle Dixon." He says once the laugh settles and he shakes her tiny hand.

"You're one of Ceasar's friends, right?" She asks, curiously blinking at him.

"Acquantance. Known the bastard since we was in school throwin' dirt balls at each other." Merle answers with a drawl, making her lips twitch to a smile.

"I'm his cousin Rosita's friend... She's the only reason I'm here... I didn't want to come because I knew... Well you saw... I knew that would happen... Seriously, thank-you." She mumbles, tugging at her dress and making Merle shrug.

The two stand in silence before Merle drags out a cigarette and lights it, smirking as the girl wrinkles her nose at the smell and waves her hand in the air to wave the smoke away from her face.

"I should go back down and find Rosita... It was... Nice." She says after a long beat of awkward silence, her face going red once again as he gives her a smirk.

"Yeah. Real nice, Girlie... Have to have a nice meeting again real soon." He snickers, winking at her and making her flush even redder than he thought possible, before she's ducking around him and stumbling down the stairs to leave him laughing.

Well shit. Damn fine night... Best way this could end is to go off and find that bitch who was talking him up. Little Beth Greene went and got him all stiff and ready to dip little Merle into something wet and welcoming with all that squirming and her sweet scent.

He could use a good fun ride after that shit.

\---

**Well that was fun! Haven't updated in awhile but this weird one wouldn't leave my brain... Hope ya had fun! Merle yer crazy!**

 


	6. Thy Name is Dixon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Written originally for my Tumblr fans, I figured I could post it here as well! Hope you like it!

 

_The only ground I ever owned was sticking to my shoes_  
_Now I look at my front porch and this panoramic view_  
_I can sit and watch the fields fill up_  
_With rays of glowing sun_  
_Or watch the moon lay on the fences_  
_Like that’s where it was hung_

_My blessings are in front of me_  
_It’s not about the land_  
_I’ll never beat the view_  
_From my front porch looking in_

...

When sweet and young Beth Greene says yes to marrying the gruff and older Merle Dixon, the whole of Blackwood is a buzz with one thing; disbelief and scandal.

“Probably got her knocked up.“.

“What a waste. Nobody is gonna wanna touch her after that, no way.”

“Poor girl is going to show up covered in bruises one day, you just wait.”

And Merle Dixon heard every damn one of those jackasses and their comments about him and Beth. And he knew she did too! But unlike him, she would shake her head and let it pass.

He was less kind and Daryl and Officer Grimes had to - more than once - drag him out of some store or bar or restaurant because some asshole had to say something about his wife!

And it really set him off this week. Because this week, the whole damn county - or so he bet - had found out what he and Beth had just found out last week.

Beth was pregnant and he was going to be a father… And everyone in town was looking at him with wary disgust and more than once an old woman had offered to get Beth a good lawyer to divorce him before the baby was do!

“I ruined ya, sugar. That’s why this shit is happening. I ruined ya and they know it.”

“Stop it. Don’t say that, Merle… You’re a good man. And one day they’ll see it like I do. Like our baby will see.”

He never tells her how worried he is for the kids future. Younger kids are cruel with no filter. If his kid turns out anything like him, they’ll be in a lot of fights and that sure as shit wont make things better.

“People didn’t think me and Lori would last or were good for each other. They came around.”

He doubts that. Rick is a sheriff and has made a good, trusting name for himself. And Lori was a well loved kindergarten teacher. Their son was captain of his little league soccer team and little Judith Grimes was too damn precious for anyone to hate or think ill of.

Merle had never gone to college. Hell he was lucky to have gotten through high school to join the army. Which his temper had gotten him kicked out of. And now he was just some jackass who worked for his own brother at his garage in town.

Beth was in college still and taking night classes while she worked at Melrose Dinner - a pretty damn good place run by Daryl’s girlfriend, Carol and her daughter Sophia - and was often seen giving guitar lesson to kids for a small fee… And she was his wife and everyone treated her like she’d made the biggest damn mistake of her life.

"Hey… She’s kicking.”

Merle’s far away thoughts are pushed aside as he gets up from the ground to look over at his wife as she steps out onto the porch of the small cabin home they own, tucked away from nosy neighbors and loud freeways.

Beth is almost “ready to pop” - as Carl once blurted before Lori grabbed his ear and Rick smacked his son upside the head - as she held her stomach and had the largest smile on her face that could put the damn sun to shame.

“ _He_ ’s kickin, darlin. Ain’t no way it aint gonna be a boy the first shot.”

She laughs and he’s strolling over to her, stepping up the stairs and wiping grease on his work rag before his hand finds hers and she presses his palm into her stomach. And sure enough - a soft but firm push against his palm tells him so - the little thing is kicking up a storm and Merle feels a swell of pride.

To Hell with what the fuck others thought. Beth was smiling at him like the sun shone from every damn pore in his body and the love in those too blue eyes was enough. If the other fuckers couldn’t see that, then he’d be a real Dixon and let those fuckers think what they wanted and give them the bird.

His wife loved him and their kid - their son, cause _he knew_ it in his gut he was gonna have a son - was gonna be the damn best Dixon male that was ever seared and break the bad luck he and Daryl had been fighting against for years.

“We still haven’t figured out names, you know.”

Merle - after deciding he was done working on the damn bike - locked up the garage and looked at his wife as she stroked her stomach and looked at him with a curious smile that made him raise a brow.

“If it’s a gal you name her. I’ll think of a name if it’s a boy.”

“Merle Dixon don’t you try that on me. We should come up with something together.”

He gave a mock huff of irritation before they both stepped back into the house, Merle unlacing his boots and kicking them to the side before heading to the laundry room and depositing his sweat coated gray tank-top and out of his jeans into sweats and walking around without a shirt.

When he and Beth had first started out, he’d refused to let her see him without a shirt. It wasn’t until the first night they had sex - and damn was it a few months into it and that was something that told him he was in love with the girl because Merle Dixon generally _did not wait_ around for pussy - that he showed her the scars on his chest and back from his own daddy.

He wasn’t ashamed of them. He’d earned them fighting back against the old man and protecting Daryl. But… Beth didn’t need to see that. He didn’t think she’d want anything to do with his ass if she saw how scared up he was. See how much trouble he was and just how wild and rough he could really be.

But like everything, Beth had simply reached out, traced them and kissed along every single one until he was pinning her down and they were all over each other like two cats in heat in a potato sack.

Now he had no trouble walking around without a shirt. Hell he knew Beth liked it. Especially when she’d first gotten pregnant and her hormones were all over the place and she was practically tackling him like a female dog in heat!

“How about Conway?”

Merle stood in the doorway to their bedroom, the name striking him as he passed by the old record collection and spotting a record of “Conway Twitty’s Best Song Compilation”. Seeing that album had brought him back to his mama - before the beatings got too bad and just before Daryl had come along - humming “Hello Darlin’” in the kitchen as she tried to make them something to eat.

“Conway… I like that… It’s different.”

And Beth had a soft smile on her face as she stroked her stomach - as she tended to do these days - and watched the inner bundle move and almost lean into her touch. She looked back at him and nodded.

“Conway Hershel Dixon… I really like that, Merle.”

“Yeah? Me too, darlin. ‘ts got a nice ring to it.”

And it did. He never thought the Dixon name could sound good on anyone… But for their kid it was damn perfect.

“What about Charlene Annette Dixon?”

Merle raised a brow at the name and couldn’t help but chuckled as he realized just where Beth was getting the name from. Annette - before the woman’s passing, may she rest in peace - had loved playing Dolly Parton. And when Beth was a little thing, apparently she thought the song “Jolene” was called “Charlene” and had sang along calling Jolene by Charlene and her mama would laugh through the whole song… It was one of Hershel's first stories he'd told Merle about her.

“Sounds good to me, darlin. Sound’s damn fine.”

And he liked it… He just wished - down the line - they’d thought of backup names. Because if they had, he might have been prepared to help his wife name a pair of twins (Twins for fuck sakes!).

“Why not Hank. Merle used ta sing like a dead cat to some damn Hank WIlliams Jr when we’d get drunk.”

Leave it to his brother to be a pain in the ass and make Beth love the idea… He just wished he hadn’t agreed to let her give his son his bastard fathers name for his middle name. Hell him and Daryl had tried - to no avail - to talk her out of it and he’d had to keep his cool over how _not right_ it was for his son to share a name with that bastard besides his last name!

But his wife wasn’t deterred and the birth certificates were signed. Conway Hershel Dixon and Hank Will Dixon were healthy boys that were allowed to be taken home a day later and Merle - despite his annoyance at his son bearing the old mans name - loved him just as much as his brother and his mama.

His boys wouldn’t grow up alone. A damn year later, Beth’s pregnant - with only one, thank God - and they’re given a daughter in the form of Charlene Annette Dixon… And by the time the boys are almost three and little Charlene is almost two, a new son - the final because shit this wasn’t the Brady Bunch! - was born in the form of Harley D (short for Daryl) Dixon.

People still talked. People still didn’t get how the two had lasted as long as they had. And people still almost got him in jail for wanting to beat the shit out of every single one that ran their mouth.

But Beth was still his wife. They had three damn fine sons and a sweet as apple pie daughter and they were still holding strong on their marriage without Beth ever sporting a single bruise (Hell she’d beat the shit out of him before he could even raise a hand anyway) on her.

And that was enough of a middle finger to everyone if he ever did see.

**R & R Plz!**


	7. The Library Affairs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Written in response to a number prompt request on Tumblr.
> 
> The prompt was something like "Librarian AU" or something of the sort... Anyway, enjoy!

The first time he came in, Beth had been startled and had turned to look at her boss, Lori, with an expression of pure disbelief.

A leather vest with angel wings, wrap around and tinted shades, facial scruff, muscles, a mean scowl, and probably standing around six feet as he drove around on a loud piece of metal and chrome… Not exactly the kind of person you expect to walk into a library on a sunny Sunday afternoon.

Lori had just given the man a glance and a smile before shrugging at Beth and going back to typing at her computer, leaving Beth to watch the large man head straight for the classic and best sellers section and stay sitting at a table, reading a copy of “All The Kings Men” from front to back for the next three hours before calmly getting up and leaving, his motorcycle reviving and causing a few patrons heads to turn.

“Who was that?” Beth had asked Lori once she could no longer hear the roar of the strangers motorcycle.

“Daryl – the one that works at Dale’s, Daryl – you know him right?” Lori had asked, causing Beth to nod because Daryl worked with and was friends with her older brother Shawn. “That’s his older brother.”

“Does he come here often? How come I’ve never seen him around?” Beth went and asked, curious and feeling a tad nosy like Maggie. She couldn’t help it, though! The man was the most interesting person she’d ever seen come into the library since she’d started working that summer.

“He comes in for three hours every day to read a book. Sometimes he reads half of one and comes back to read the other half later… And he was away in jail. He used to sell drugs… Shane and Rick caught him about five years ago. But ever since he came back, he’s been pretty much keeping to himself or working odd jobs around town,” Lori’d shrugged, the conversation ending there for her.

And Beth was soon greeted with the sound of a motorcycle every day if she was working the afternoon shift (which is what she now worked permanently after switching out with Daryl’s fiancé Carol) and the sight of the scowling Dixon.

**…**

For a month she watched him come in and would offer him a smile as she was putting away books or getting ready to go read to the kids who came in for story time. He would generally glare at her or just walk past her, but that never deterred her from making sure she said bye to him every day when he left at three.

Another month later, Beth would be spooked by him when – after greeting him as he entered – she went to put away books and turned to run straight into a wall of muscle and the smell of engine and cigarette smoke, cut grass, Georgia air, and a faint men’s deodorant.

He was even taller up close and Beth noted he had deep and piercing blue eyes… And was wearing glasses? She had never seen him come in with them… Then again – she realizes – she was never looking at his face much.

“Y'all got this? Can’t find the damn thing anywhere,” he asks, voice deep and sounding like sandpaper rubbing together as he’s holding out a sheet of paper with messy – very messy – scrawl that Beth has to squint at to read.

“Oh,” she says as soon as she can understand what the paper says, nodding and motioning him to follow her back to where he likes to sit.

And quietly he follows and Beth can feel him watching the back of her head as she mutters to herself while reading the spines of the books until she spots the book she’s looking for, having to get on her tiptoes to even brush the spine before he’s easily reaching up and plucking it from the shelf.

She tries not to flush at how close he is as he’d stepped in to grab the book. How she could smell him again or even faintly feel his breath brush the back of her head as he huffs and brings the book down, stepping back and looking over the title.

“Thanks, darlin,” he drawls, Beth’s eyes meeting his as he actually gives her a very small but also very charming smile before he’s turning and heading to his usual spot, scowl back in place as he sits down and opens the copy of “Elmer Gantry”.

Beth’s heart is beating a tattoo against her ribcage for the rest of her shift even after he leaves and Lori asks her multiple times if she’s okay because her cheeks are red.

**…**

It’s another month later when Beth learns his actual name.

It never crossed her mind that she didn’t know his name. She just always thought of him as “Daryl’s brother” or “The library stranger”. Although… The more she thought about that… The more she felt a little embarrassed to not have ask.

It’s the day he decides to actually check out a book. For the last three months since she’d known him, he’s never checked out a book. And it’s the day Lori is out to take a sick day for her daughter Judith, who’s got a very bad spring cold. This leaves Beth to be the one he talks to.

She’s typing away at the computer – putting in new titles and ordering new books for the children section – when a slight shadow appears and a book is slid across the counter to her. Looking up, Beth is greeted with her stranger and his blank, intimidating expression he wears when he’s not scowling (or giving her that smile she hasn’t seen in a month).

“A Tale of Two Cities… I read this in High School,” Beth says softly, smiling at him as he reaches in his back pocket and pulls out a very worn-out scrap of leather that is his wallet.

When he sits the card on the table, the first thing Beth notes is that it’s one of their older cards. A card that they had stopped designing back when she was in middle school and her mind instantly wonders to just how old is this man… And then she see’s the name.

Merle William Dixon

Merle… His name was Merle… And in that moment, that’s when Beth realizes she never knew his name or had ever asked him. And she runs her thumb over the letters that are starting to fade before she’s taking his card and the book and going through the motion of checking it out to him and barely realizing she’s saying bye to him until she hears him start up the bike.

Beth had watched him drive away until she couldn’t see him and had listened for him until she couldn’t hear the sound of his motorcycle. And she knows her cheeks are red and she knows her heart is thumping wildly in her chest like a bird trying to escape its cage.

**…**

It’s a month later that Beth meets him outside of the library… While she’s getting fitted for a Bridesmaid dress for Carol’s wedding.

She’s with Andrea, Michonne, and Lori with little Judith and Sophia – the flower girls – and Carl Grimes with Buck – Daryl’s son – and getting her dress fitted with Carol and the others when she sees him. Patricia – a woman who had known Beth since she was in diapers and who was a farm hand of her daddies and was well known for being a talented wedding dress designer and maker – was placing pins in the hem of her powder blue dress when she spotted him in the waiting room with Daryl.

He’s in a nice suit, Daryl helping him adjust his tie and the two speaking low to one another. Beth has never seen him look so… Cleaned up. Even with the suit she can make out his muscles and broad shoulders. He’s saying something to Rick – Daryl’s best man – before he looks up and catches her staring at him.

Beth’s mouth opens and she feels her face flush before the door is shut, Patricia muttering about “not wanting the bride and groom to see each other in their outfits before the wedding” as she gets back on the floor to finish Beth’s dress before moving on to check Michonne.

“Wow… I wonder what Daryl had to do to get Merle wrangled into that suit,” Andrea spoke up, her dress already pinned up as she comes to stand by Beth, looking at the door before checking herself in the life size folded mirror.

“Oh… You know Merle?” Beth asks, tilting her head to watch Andrea mess with her breast in the dress, making faces of dissatisfaction in the mirror.

“Unfortunately. He’s my ex,” Andrea huffs and Beth feels her heart thump to her stomach as she looks Andrea over and can’t help but wonder “so this is Merle Dixon’s type” before she’s shaking her head and wondering where in Gods name that came from?

“How do you know Merle?” Andrea suddenly asked, causing Beth to jump as she was dragged from her strange thoughts.

“Oh… I don’t… I mean I know who he is… He comes to the library everyday at the same time for three hours then leaves,” Beth explained, causing Andrea’s curious smile to soften and a look of surprise to pass over her face.

“He’s still doing that, huh?” Andrea murmured, Beth’s ears perking and a curious look falling into place, which Andrea caught and smiled at.

“Daryl and Merle’s mama.. She loved to read. Merle picked up on it more than Daryl did… But Maria – their mother – was a lover of classic literature and used to read to Merle before… Well before things got bad for all of them Dixons,” Andrea explained, her voice soft as she looked at herself in the mirror.

Beth didn’t have to ask what Andrea meant by “got bad”. When Daryl had been hurt in a hunting accident last year, he’d stumbled onto Otis and her daddy working at the south fence. They’d dragged Daryl home and kept him stable – he had an arrow protruding out of his side – until Dr. Edwards could get to the house along with Carol.

While Daryl had been laid up in the bed, dehydrated – he’d been out in the woods and half delirious for two days apparently – Beth had come to bring him water… And that’s when she’d seen his back before her daddy ushered her out of the room. She’d never forget the sight of his back all torn up like that.

Beth wondered then. Wondered if Merle had those same marks and… Wondered if they were as bad.

**…**

“Didn’t know ya knew Mouse.”

Beth looked over her shoulder, surprised to find Merle standing on the other end of the book return cart she was currently shelving. Glancing at the clock, Beth was surprised to see it was already the normal time he’d come in. She hadn’t even heard him on his bike.

“Mouse… Oh. Carol?” she asked, earning a nod from the older male as he handed her the book she was reaching for. “Yeah… I knew her back when she was still with Ed… I used to watch her daughter Sophia… When we found out, Carol ran to my daddy for shelter. We helped house her until her papers could be filled after Ed’s arrest for assault and attempted assault on our property. Her and Sophia are practically family.”

“Hmm,” he murmured, again handing her the book she was reaching for, the hairs on the back of her neck standing up as their fingers brushed and making her feel like lightning had struck through her and set her body alight.

This went on for awhile in silence; Beth putting books away and Merle following her around. It was… Nice. Strange. But really nice. She tried not to twitch when she felt his gaze land on her. But if she turned and looked, he’d be looking at the books while absently handing her a book back.

“Merle?” Beth spoke up, a though crossing her mind as he handed her another book.

“Hmm?” he hummed, turning to look at her.

“My names Beth… Beth Greene,” she said with a smile.

Merle stared at her for a bit before he began to chuckle and shake his head. That grin – the one that made her stomach feel like she’d swallowed butterfly and airs – spread across his scruffy face and he nodded.

“Beth, huh? Nice ta know, Girlie. Nice to know.”

**…**

Beth wasn’t sure if the universe was out to get her or please her... If she could get her heart to stop beating in her throat and her stomach to stop feeling like it was in a bounce house, that would be nice!

“You want me to walk with Merle?”

Carol – drinking her coffee across from her – nodded. Beth loved to see how much better Carol looked now than she did two years ago with Ed. Her hair was styled and short and she was able to wear what she wanted; form-fitting tank-top and nice tight jeans that showed off her lovely, natural curves. Something Ed always made her hide.

“Why me?” Beth asked, pretty certain she sounded winded with how dizzy she was starting to feel.

“Michonne is walking with Tyreese, Lori’s with Rick, and I can’t have Andrea walk with Merle because they’ll kill each other so she’s walking with Dale. That leaves Merle and you,” Carol explained with a shrug while Beth tried not to squeak.

It made sense. Of course having Merle walk with his ex would just cause trouble. She didn’t know enough about Merle but she knew Andrea could be stubborn and would cause a stir if she felt it needed to happen. Lori would want to walk with her husband and Tyreese got along with Michonne, and Dale pretty much was like a second father Andrea and her sister Amy. It made sense… But it also made her want to be sick.

“Merle can be a little crude but he’s harmless, I swear,” Carol spoke up, seeming to judge Beth’s sudden silence for discomfort.

“Oh! Oh no it’s not that… I just… I don’t know him that well… But it makes sense. I’ll be alright,” Beth said, waving a hand dismissively and smiling what she hoped was a convincing smile that showed she was “fine” with the choice.

Carol seemed to buy it and relaxed, smiling back as the two changed the topic to how Carol and Sophia were doing with Buck – the little guy hadn’t much liked Carol when she first showed up – and was pleased to hear Buck was opening up more and more to Carol and Sophia had even started calling Daryl dad.

“Are you and Daryl going to have anymore?” Beth asked cautiously, not very certain of Carol’s body after all the abuse it took from Ed.

“I don’t even know if I can have kids anymore… But we’d like to try,” Carol said softly, looking down into her coffee mug.

Beth gave her an encouraging smile and reached out and placed her hand over the one Carol had placed on the table. The two shared warm smiles and Beth squeezed her hand. Because if God willed it, it would happen. And if anyone deserved God’s will after all her struggles, it was Carol.

At least Beth thought so.

**…**

Carol looked beautiful.

Beth couldn’t help but smile. Her friend looked amazing! She was glowing with happiness and nerves and joy and all kinds of emotions as she stood in her wedding dress, Patricia fixing it up and making sure everything was in place on everyone.

“Beth can you make sure Dale and your daddy have all them men prepped or if they need help?” Patricia asked, adjusting a last minute stitch on Carol’s dress.

Beth nodded and picked up her powder blue dress, smiling to Carol – who rolled her eyes at Patricia huffing up a storm over a tiny stitch – and as she caught her reflection in the mirror. Amy had done an amazing job on everyone’s hair and make-up.

Beth hardly recognized herself with her hair up in ringlets that were pulled into an updo with two bangs curled and loose to frame her face, tiny white flowers with sapphire’s for the center placed in her hair. And her make-up was light, but sharpened each of her better features and made her lips look fuller without being obnoxious… Amy was amazing.

Slipping away and finding the men’s dressing room, Beth knocked lightly on the door, smiling as she heard a slight shuffle inside before the door open and Dale peeked his head out. He gave her a warm and inviting smile before ushering her inside.

“Patricia wanted me to make sure you all were ready,” Beth giggled, spotting Rick as he was getting on to Carl, who kept rolling his eyes at his dad. Beside Carl was Buck; the mini Daryl as Beth liked to call him.

Buck was holding the ring bearer pillow as four-year-old Judith held his hand with her flower basket in the other, dressed in a pretty white dress with a big satin powder blue bow and her hair decked with ribbons. Lori always teased about how Judith always called Buck – who was eight – her boyfriend. Buck just kinda shrugged and let her grab his hand and drag her around. It was very cute.

“Damn, Girlie, you clean up nice.”

Beth turned and felt her cheeks redden – thank God for blush – as Merle made it her way. His suit was a little loose on him and his tie was undone but to Beth he looked amazing. Scruffy like always, but with an extra bit of suave almost. Far cry from the leather and jean vests with wings he and Daryl liked to wear.

Beth – feeling brave – stepped up to the older male and reached up and began to adjust his suit. She noted that he went still and that she was now very close to him. This time his scent was missing the engine smoke, but it still had cigarette and that deodorant he liked… This time with a dash of some kind of cologne… It was intoxicating as his normal scent.

“Ya look good,” he rasped, his voice sounding like gavel instead of the usual sandpaper as he let her finish adjusting and buttoning up his suit before going for the tie, glad her mama had taught her so she was able to help her with Shawn and their daddy.

“Thank-you,” Beth said softly, adding on a smile as she pat his chest once she finished his tie. “You look good yourself.”

She felt her mouth go dry as he looked down at her with his deep and piercing blue eyes. She swallowed – hoping he didn’t hear or see her do so – a lump growing in her throat before giving him one last smile and ducking away to go help Rick with his tie then moved on to hug and check over Daryl.

Once she was certain all the men were fixed up – and with Lori showing up, that helped – Beth slipped out quickly to go line up with the other girls like they’d rehearsed the other day, taking deep breaths to try and calm her overly frantic nerves.

She could do this! It was only walking down an isle with a man holding her arm… A man much older than her and whom she always felt like she was twisted up inside when around. But still just a man… She could do this!

**…**

Beth’s mascara was ruined along with her eyeliner… But the wedding had been beautiful and worth the make-up malfunction she was now fixing up in the bathroom of the reception hall with the other girls. Even Andrea had to fix her make-up after such a beautiful wedding.

“I thought Dixon was going to faint,” Michonne mused as she stepped out of the bathroom and adjusted herself in the mirror and washed her hands.

Andrea laughed and Beth tried not to giggle. Daryl had lit up at the sight of Carol being led down the isle by her daddy, but he’d also looked like he was ready to buckle and pass out with how stiff he was. She’d seen videos on Facebook and YouTube where men would collapse during their own weddings and she was certain that was going to be Daryl.

“He made it, though, thank God,” Andrea chuckled as the three of them pushed from the sink and headed out the door, where people were heading inside the reception as the DJs – Beth’s old classmates Noah Jameson and Aiden Monroe – played some eighties dance music while Axel Temple (A very good friend of Carol's) served alcohol to those of age.

“Hey there, miss Bethy, what happened to yer Ma and Pa and sis and that Korean fella of hers?” Axel asked as Beth stepped up to buy a Mike’s Hard.

“Daddy’s prosthetic leg was acting up so Mama took him home. And Maggie and Glenn went home. Maggie hasn’t been feeling good since she found out she was pregnant. Awful morning and noon sickness,” Beth explained as Axel handed her the bottle with a nod.

“Yer old mans a tough bastard for lasting this long, I’ll give him that,” Axel praised with a grin and Beth giggled before thanking him for the drink and sliding off to stand with Lori.

“Bef! Bef!” Judith squealed, letting go of Buck’s hand to run up to her.

Beth sat her drink on a nearby table and easily hefted the small girl up and smiled as Judith happily held up one of the flowers she’d taken from the flower basket. Beth “ooh'd” and “ahh'd” appropriately over the blue and white roses as Judith babbled happily until Lori came up and plucked the girl from her with a thank-you.

“You go have fun, Beth. Buck is staying with Carl tonight and I have to keep Rick sober. If Merle Dixon gets him drunk, I’ll clock him,” Lori huffed as she walked off, leaving Beth with Buck.

“Hi, Miss Beth,” Buck said softly as Beth picked up her drink.

“Hey, Buck. You excited about having a new mama?” Beth asked gently, rubbing his back.

Before Buck started to get along with Carol, Daryl would bring him along to the library when he came to see Carol, leaving Buck with Beth during story time. If there wasn’t a lot of kids, Beth would sit and talk with Buck or let him color or read car books with him. He’d sometimes talk about his mother, Hope, and how he hated her and didn’t want another mama that was just gonna leave.

It had broke Beth’s heart to hear Buck’s story and she’d been sure to listen to his every word and offer what little comfort she had, telling him stories about how Maggie used to hate her mama – her step mother – as well and how much trouble she caused her and daddy. Buck had laughed at a few of the stories, but had also listened with such intensity that Beth had no doubt about Daryl being his father.

“Yeah.. She’s okay… “ Buck said with a shrug, though his ears were pink and he had a small smile.

“You and Sophia getting along now?” she asked, glancing over to see Sophia “dancing” with Judith, who’d escaped Lori and was playing with the older girl happily.

“Yeah. She’s cool. For a girl I guess,” he mumbled, making a bit of a face but otherwise seeming okay with his new sister, much to Beth’s relief as well.

“Heeyyyy, Buckaroo! There ya are!” Beth – about to ask Buck about if he was ready for the summer camp he was supposed to be going to in two weeks – jumped with Buck as Merle appeared, a beer in his hand and a grin on his face.

“Uncle Merle,” Buck smiled, coming up to the older male and letting this uncle ruffle his hair and pat his shoulder in greeting.

Merle grinned down at Buck before he looked up and paused, meeting Beth’s gaze and lowering the beer he was bringing to his mouth to take a swig of. Beth gave a tiny wave and smile before looking at Buck.

“I’ll leave you with your Uncle Merle. You going to come to story time before you go to camp?” she asked, Buck giving a nod of yes, before she smiled and pat his head and stepped around the two, shivering as she brushed against Merle’s shoulder.

She needed to finish this drink and get another drink for this night.

**…**

“Okay, Greene, spill. What have you done to Merle Dixon?”

Beth almost spit out her drink – her fourth one now – as Andrea clapped a hand hard on her back and came to sit by her, having changed out of her bridesmaid dress for a nice blouse and a skirt, a red solo cup of who knows what in her hand and her heels kicked off and with her current boyfriend, Milton Mamet, as he sat and talked with Daryl’s old friend, Caesar Martinez.

“Wh-What? Me? I haven't done anything? Why?” Beth sputtered, her already red cheeks going redder as Andrea leaned forward and got in her space.

“Because,” Andrea said, drawing and slurring out the word, “he's been eyeballing you all night and he was glaring at Tyreese while you two were dancing. I swear if looks could kill, Tyreese would’ve been dead twice over… What is that about?”

Beth shook her head and peeked around Andrea to where she could see Merle standing and drinking with Axel, and Dale. All three men looked deep in conversation as Merle – Beth unsure of what number of beers he was on – looked red faced and was gripping his bottle tight, his responses looking short and to the point.

“See? He’s been like that since you danced with Tyreese, “Andrea piped up as Beth dropped herself back into her seat and took a heavy swig of her alcohol.

Beth shook her head, having no clue what was going on right now. Her heart was going nuts and she felt really warm and strange and numb all at once. What was she supposed to do? She didn’t really understand what was going on… She needed another drink.

**…**

“Merle, stop!”

“You’ll dance with that dumb, big nig-”

“Don’t say that word! Merle, stop!”

Beth couldn’t believe this was happening. Her temper was rising and she felt like crying all at once! She was a little tipsy as well, but she knew – tipsy or not – that this was not how she was wanting this to go.

When Merle Dixon had made his way towards her half an hour after Andrea had informed her of his disposition, Beth had known this was going to be trouble. She hadn’t expected him to grab her and try and drag her to the dance floor like some wild brute! So she’d clawed her way free and run outside to get air and to get away.

And now here she was, standing in a parking lot, and yelling at a man who was acting like some drunk and jealous frat boy! If she wanted to deal with that kind of attitude she’d be dating Jimmy or Zack again!

“Merle! Man, come on!”

Beth felt a wave of relief at the sight of Daryl. He was out of his suits jacket and wearing just the undershirt with the top buttons loose and his tie gone. He wore his dress pants and shoes and was making his way over towards them.

“Merle! Actin’ like a dumbass! Let ‘er be,” Daryl barked, grabbing and tugging at his older brother, who was staring Beth down intensely.

“Back off, little brother! I don’t wanna whoop ya at her own wedding,” Merle slurred with a growl, yanking his arm free and shoving Daryl back.

“Goddangit, Merle!” Daryl exclaimed as Merle made another grab at Beth.

“If she can dance with the clicker, she can fuckin dance with me and stop actin’ like a stuck up skank,” Merle spat, causing Beth to pale and her jaw to drop.

“Merle, don’t call her-”

_THWACK!_

Beth’s hand lashed out. Maggie and her family had always told Beth multiple times that _no man_ had any right to treat her with disrespect or lay a hand on her. Tonight, Merle Dixon had disrespected her and he’d placed a hand on her… And Beth wasn’t having it.

So her hand made full contact with his face, pretty certain she’d gotten him with her freshly manicured nails, and her face red with embarrassment and disbelief and pain. Her stomach hurt and her heart felt like it was beating too fast for her. She wanted to cry and scream and hit something and curl up in a ball all at once.

Merle blinked at her with his alcohol hazed eyes before they hardened and he grit his teeth at her. But Beth wasn’t having it. She turned and stormed off, hearing Daryl calling out for her and hearing Merle cuss up a storm. She ignored it all.

She was too drunk to even think of driving... But she wasn’t far from her home. Beth took off her heels and began her walk, tears prickling her eyes and streaming down her cheeks. God she hated crying!

**…**

Beth has always lived by a simple rule. Let go of the past and move on. Stay true to who you are… And who Beth was… Well she was someone that could forgive easily enough. Because people made mistakes. They were human just like she was. And life goes on and is too short to hold pain and anger.

Even if she wanted to so badly still.

“He’s sitting out there again, Beth,” Lori said as Beth came from the science fiction section and handed Ender’s Game off to a smiling young thirteen-year-old boy who ran off to go sit on one of the beanbags to read.

“Oh. Is he?” she asked softly, poking through the return cart to see how many she needed to put up and which section she’d be spending most of her time in.

“Beth…,” Lori sighed, shaking her head.

Beth knew Lori was trying to understand why this whole thing with Merle Dixon was happening, but Beth was in the same boat as her; she had no idea what was going on. Merle Dixon had been a horrible and vile man to her and she couldn’t – wouldn’t – deal with that kind of stuff happening to her. She wasn’t raised to think she should.

“If Merle Dixon wants to sit outside and expect me to come out and talk to him, then let him. But I'm not going to to him. He’s not getting that,” Beth sighed back to her friend, taking the return cart and pushing it towards the young readers section.

Lori shook her head but didn’t press, letting Beth go. For the last two weeks since the weeding reception, she’d been trying to understand what was going on between them… Along with everyone else that had witnessed Merle Dixon acting like an angry, jealous lover towards her.

Beth closed her eyes and shook her head, pushing back how her stomach clinched and her body felt numb as she recalled the way he’d stared down at her. Like he was hurt and angry and confused and was trying to make sense of something that wouldn’t ever make sense to him and so it was making him angrier.

Beth bit her lower lip and opened her eyes, reaching absently for a book… Only for a book to press up and touch her hand, startling Beth and causing her to almost drop it in surprise. Her head snapped to her left and she found herself staring… At Merle.

He was missing his vest and usual dirty ripped jeans. He had on glasses – his reading glasses – a hat and a plain black t-shirt and jeans and his boots. His shades were tucked in his shirt and he was looking at her with a blank expression and lowering the hand that had held the book out for her.

Beth stared in surprise for a second before composing herself and trying not to glare or jerk away. Instead she turned and looked away and pressed the book into it’s place, looking over her shoulder to look down and grab her own book, ignoring the next one he tried to offer her.

“I’m a real asshole… When I drink… I’ve been told that more than once by Daryl and others, ya know?” he spoke up, causing Beth to pause and tilt her head, brow furrowed. “Often times I’m told I act like my old man… Course my old man wouldn’t have thought twice about how much of a jackass he was bein.”

Beth turned and looked at him, watching as he flipped through a book absently and sucked on his teeth before looking up to meet her gaze with his own; intense and focused on her to the point Beth felt a shiver run down her spine.

“I’m an asshole, Girlie… I admit that… I can’t apologize because I’ve always been an asshole and don’t think I have it in me to be anything but,” he said softly, his eyes never leaving hers. “I ain't one to beg, neither. I ain’t never begged before in my life and I aint about to start now.”

Beth took in his clinched jaw and fist. She took in the way he stood stiffly and defensive; as if waiting for her to lash him down… She took in the way he tried to shield his eyes and the way he was watching her so closely and so… fearfully?

And Beth was brought back to something Carol once said about Daryl once after they had both had their first fight with each other and how they had made up. _“Daryl doesn’t apologies like you or I would. It’s like he’s saying sorry by trying to explain himself… It’s an apology without words… It can be infuriating… But if you can read a Dixon, you can read anyone, trust me.”_

Beth was reading Merle loud and clear as if he was screaming the words in her face like he’d done that night.

_I’m sorry, please forgive me, I was wrong._

And Beth – easily forgiving as she was – felt her restraints break and her hand sit down the book she’d picked up to reach out and take Merle’s hand in her own, feeling him stiffen and stare at her. She gave him a smile and squeezed his hand before letting go and picking up the book he had dropped to put it away.

She turned and looked at him and then the stack of books until he seemed to get it and picked up a book and handed it to her. She whispered a thank you and gave him a nod, feeling the tension slowly leave him as he gave a nod back and the both of them fell into a relaxing silence and routine of Merle handing off books for Beth to put away.

And for once, Merle Dixon stayed past his regular three hour limit…. But neither of the two really noticed enough to celebrate… So Lori did with a piece of her favorite candy and a smile.

**...**

**R & R Plz**


End file.
